Not just on the basis of rarety, but on the basis of the content.
She swirled her eyes through the titles of the novels, her fingers grazing along before quickly moving onto the next one.
There were the books covering all sorts of eras.
She cranked her neck to ensure that she did not miss any novel that could be placed on the top of the shelves.
"May I help you with something, young lady?" Crescent flinched at the sudden call and clutched her heart. She had been all alone in this section, presuming that others might have gone for the lunch.
She turned around, coming face-to-face with an old lady, with wrinkled hand and wrinkled skin. The only thing giving away her age was her hair color that had turned silver and her loosened skin, apart from that she looked very fine.
Her posture was quite straight for someone aging.
There was a duster in her one hand while her eyes had glasses on, that were set more on her nose.
But her gaze, they were fixed at Crescent. And something told her it was not pleasant on her part.
"Well, I apologise, if I scared you?" She did not seem sorry at all though.
"It's fine, I was too absorbed here." replied Crescent.
"You did appear. So anything with what I may help?"
Crescent could tell the lady wouldn't go even if she denied. So she might as well ask for it. "Actually, yes."
"So what kind of book you need?" The old lady stepped forward and picked up a few books. "We have books covering ancient, medieval and modern histories of all the countries in the world today. There are emergence records," The old lady paused and picked up a stack of papers attached in a file and showed her, "these are papers covering the major dynasties."
The old lady kept them back as she walked to another row. Crescent got no option than to follow her. "There are original manuscripts by the travellers as well covering Roman empires, Mughal Empires, Greek empires and many more. So,"
The old lady suddenly turned to her. "What do you need?" She ensured to stretch on the word 'you'.
"Lilac Town."
"Eh?"
"History of the Lilac Town."
The old lady pinned her with a pointed look. "Why would you want that?"
Crescent involuntarily raised her brow. Why can't she want that?
"For a project. We have an international student conference where we are to present the history of the towns we belong to." Crescent said all that with a straight face.
An amazing reflexive answer but not entirely a lie.
Their professor of History mentioned it today that soon they would be working in pair for a project that they would need to give a seminar on any subject of history at the end of the semester.
That was another thing that she won't be giving it on the Lilac Town's history. However it did not concer this old right now.
That seemed to have been valid because the old lady finally changed the look she was throwing at her all this time. "If it is for that, come with me."
They walked through between the gaps to the other section and came to stop at the help desk area.
"I will be back."
Definitely, Crescent was not going to wait for her to be back. She needed to know why exactly she was not allowed post here.
After a minute of wait, she walked in the direction that old lady disappeared.
She went through between another gap between the shelves and Crescent couldn't find her anywhere. She searched almost all the rows before deciding that she was not here.
As she was about to turn back to go, she realised there was a door here. Not expectating anything, she casually opened it and closed.
It took her a second to realise and she opened it again. Crescent squinted her eyes and took a step in there.
It was a little corridor, with disintegrated walls and having doors at the opposite ends. While the rest of the library was integrated with modern touch, this was a little corner purely old-school.
No fancy lights, no painted walls, nothing.
Was it some staff quarter? Could it be?
Her gaze went to one door and then the other.
Her eyes twinkled with curiosity.
The one in the left was still fine but the door in the right was too...beautiful. It appeared almost ancient.
The door was wooden but the intrications were all golden. The carvings seem to be design of some sort.
She unknowingly began taking steps towards it as if it had almost bewitched her.
She brought her hand up to touch it.
"What exactly are you doing here, young lady?"
Crescent instantly turned around, coming out of that magnificent pull.
That old lady was glaring at her, not even trying to hide her disapproval.
The corridor was silent and she still did not hear the footsteps of the old lady here.
Crescent appeared calm, to not be suspicious. "I wanted to ask if I can get the research papers on the same subject? That would be really helpful."
The old lady did not leave the eye-contact for a minute before saying. "You may."
Crescent nodded when the old lady again spoke. "And if you did not read the sign outside, I would like you to know that you are not allowed here."
Crescent, in fact, had read that the first thing. "Is that so?" She asked apologetically. "I thought it is also the extended part of the library only."
"It isn't."
"Wait for me at the reception. I will bring it there."
Crescent nodded and gave one last look to the door behind her before coming out under the watchful gaze of that old lady.
She heard a click behind the door, knowing that the old lady had locked it from inside.
What exactly was there? Why were they not allowed?
Crescent mentally added up this place in her mind. She would need to check it later on to see if there was something which could be useful for her.
However looking at how reluctant that old lady looked, she was pretty sure that she won't get an easy entry here. It meant Crescent would need to find out a way.
Or rather use a opposite or unethical way.
Well, that won't be first for her.